Overview
- The Ministry of Agriculture’s reinforced measures take effect Monday under existing emergency rules, activating the full protection package nationwide.
- Restrictions include a ban on free‑range rearing in designated areas, suspension of bird exhibitions, separation of ducks and geese from other poultry, limits on untreated outdoor water, and a prohibition on using certain wild‑bird decoys.
- Regional rollouts cover 138 municipalities in the Valencian Community, 16 in Madrid, and 40 in Galicia, where about 27,000 domestic coops must confine birds.
- Madrid’s safeguards follow multiple recent detections, including a Valdemoro laying‑hen farm with about 450,000 birds, as Spain counts 14 of the EU’s 139 poultry outbreaks since July 1.
- Health authorities describe the risk to people as very low and say properly cooked poultry products remain safe, while consumer groups report egg prices are already climbing.